Halkidiki Greece

Nea Roda is a coastal village on the isthmus of the Athos peninsula. The settlement is located in a distance of 115km to Thessaloniki. Approximately 1148 inhabitants (status 2011) live all year in Nea Roda. During the summer month the population increases up to 6 000 people.

Roda can be translated to 'pomegranates' (Greek: 'Ρόδι' pomegranate, 'Ρόδα' = pomegranates) and refers to the many pomegranate-trees around the original village Roda in present day's Turkey. Also in 'new' Roda a striking amount of pomegranate-trees can be seen, proving the strong bond between the inhabitants and their origin.

Wide sandy beaches and turquoise waters as well as extensive hilly green landscapes are dominating the characteristic picture of Nea Roda.

Annually on 22th August, nine days after 'the Assumption' a two-day-lasting cultural event is talking place where traditional food is offered and dances from the original origin are performed.On the 'Sardine festival', celebrated on the last Monday in July it's all about the small Herring-fish.

The church of the Blessed Virgin Mary & Saint Nikolaos is exposing an icon of the Virgin Mary, which was saved and brought by the refugees.

The inhabitants of Nea Roda originally were occupied mainly with fishing and agriculture. Since the tourism moved in this area, it also became the main source of income of the locals.

In 6km distance northwest of Nea Roda and still on the Athos peninsula is the coastal village Ierissos including the archeological site of the ancient town Akanthos. The ruins of the historic city have not been excavated yet, however, a necropolis of about 800 graves was unearthed. The ancient necropolis contains burial plots from the 7th century until the Roman period and provides scientists with a high degree of valuable clues about the local and epochal burial rituals.

In summer 1923 Nea Roda was founded by Greek refugees of Roda in Asia Minor on the territory formerly known as Provlakas. The expression Provalkas derived from 'prin avlaki', can be translated as 'before the canal' referring to the Canal of Xerxes. As with many refugee settlements, the people preserve the memory of their origin by adopting the name of their lost hometown for the new village and adding the adjective 'new'. With nearly 40 founding families, Nea Roda is the largest refugee settlement in Chalkidiki.

RodaThe original village of Roda in Asia Minor was located on the peninsula Kyzikini by the inland sea of Marmara. According to anecdotes, the people of Roda lived surrounded by fertile land and rich fishing waters. They were occupied with the production of silkworm cocoons, granite blocks, olives, fruits and vegetables which were shipped to Constantinople. The well-developed village was provided with a high level school system. Until the early 20th century, the village contained about 200 houses, of which 150 houses where Christian and 50 houses where Muslim affiliation. From 1912 the inhabitants experienced great suffer from the impact of the Greek-Turkish war until they finally had to flee in 1922 as a result of the 'catastrophe of Asia minor'. A majority of the inhabitants first escaped to the opposite island of Aloni before moving on to the island Marmaras, from where they were taken by ship to Thessaloniki after 20 days. They group mainly settled down in the wown districts 'Varvarna' and 'Touba' before dispersed. Another group of refugees escaped with 2 boats to Mytilene on the island of Lesbos before arriving in Chalkidiki in 1923 in search for a suitable place for re-founding their village. The first location near the area of Ouranoupoli was out of consideration due to its small size. The people moved on to the area of Ierissos and settled down for a transitional period. However the inhabitants of Ierissos refused a possible union with the new neighboring settlement. As consequence the refugees left to establish themselves few kilometers southeast in the area of Provalaks where Nea Roda finally was founded. In the subsequent period further refugees followed from the formerly Greek territories in Asia Minor. They mainly came from Skoupia of the island Aloni, across from Roda. Later on more expelled families from the areas East Trace, Charaki and Gonia on Kyzikou arrived in Nea Roda. Many refugees of Roda, spread in various areas, listened about the new foundation also came to join the new village. After the agreement of Greek-Turkish exchange of population on 14th June 1942, the remaining Greeks left their area in Asia Manor in search of a new place to life. 1926 a group of 1800 Cappadocian settlers from the territory of Antaval Nigdi was one of the last big arrivals in Nea Roda. These Cappadocians were Turkish speaking Greeks, however the original dialect of this culture is considered extinct. Antival, the name of the origin of this settlers referenced by the verb 'antivallo' and can be translated into 'opposite', resulting the controversial attitude towards the surrounding Turkey.

The population of Nea Roda consisted mainly sailors and merchants. As strongly religious people the first object rescued on their escape was a portrait of the Virgin Mary. This saint is still the patron of the village.

After the takeover of the Turks, the name of the village Roda was changed into Narli.

On the location of Nea Roda, during the Persian wars, the Persian Great King Xerxes ordered the construction of an 1800m long and 30m wide canal in order to spare his ships a circumnavigation of the peninsula Athos. 10 years earlier the Persian fleet, led by his general Mardonios, suffered a great loss caused by a storm near Mount Athos. For the construction of this canal inhabitants of the surrounding settlements, mainly from Akanthos and Sani, were forcibly recruited. The construction took about 3 years. The Xerxes-canal has silted up in the meanwhile but still can be spotted well on satellite photographs.

According to a quote of Herodotus, Xerxes ordered the construction of the canal more as a demonstration of his power and leave a memorial than for a strategic need, as it would have been less costly to pull the fleet over land.

In the area of Nea Roda archaeological examinations are taking place since 1990 in which a house and a sanctuary was brought to light. In the Archaic period this sanctuary first was related to the city Sani, before affiliated to Ouranoupolis, a town founded by Alexarchos (brother of the famous Macedonian commander Kassandros) 315 BC. Subsequent the sanctuary was extended by further buildings including monuments and Hellenic temples.

In the area of Nea Roda archaeological Examine be made since 1990, in which beside a house, a temple-sanctuary was brought to light. In the Archaic period this sanctuary was only the city Sani belonged before it was founded in the 315 v. Chr. Of Alexarchos (Brudes the famous Macedonian commander Kassandros) later city Ouranoupolis connected and extended by other buildings, including monuments and a Hellenic temples.